“In October, Mac US retail desktop computer revenue share was 47.71, percent up from 33.44 percent a year earlier, according to NPD. It’s a stunning number, given just how many Windows PC companies combined command so much more market share, while competing for the same revenue share,” Joe Wilcox reports for BetaNews.

“NPD measures in-store and online sales to compile the numbers… One factor helping Apple is average selling price. The Mac maker has largely chosen not to compete with Windows PC manufacturers below $1,000. While price wars continue at the low end among Windows PC manufacturers, Apple’s entry-level iMac starts at $1,199. True, Apple offers the Mac mini for $599 or $799, but the ASP is considerably higher than comparably priced Windows PCs. Low-cost Windows PCs typically come with monitor, keyboard and mouse, which are all extra-cost items for Mac mini unless the buyer uses existing gear,” Wilcox reports.

“In October, the Mac desktop ASP was $1,338, down from $1,390 in April and $1,581 in October 2008, according to NPD. By comparison, Windows desktop PC ASP was $491, or nearly $900 less than the Mac desktop. Generally, Apple also captures more revenue share on much smaller sales. For example, according to Apple SEC filings, worldwide, the company shipped 3.05 million Macs — only 787,000 of them desktops — in third calendar quarter,” Wilcox reports. “By comparison, HP shipped 16.1 million PCs and Acer 12.5 million, according to Gartner.”

Wilcox reports, “The Mac laptop ASP also is much higher than Windows notebooks: respectively, $1,410 to $519 in October, according to NPD. Apple sells fewer units, but commands higher margins on every one than Windows PC manufacturers.”

MDN just snipped the good parts, the raw data. Joe Wilcox’s premise is that Apple’s sales are unsustainable. Here’s a quote:

“The larger questions: Can Apple sustain such high desktop dollar share? Does Apple benefit long-term from the trend? “No” is likely answer to both questions.”

Recall, Joe is the guy who wrote that everyone was lying a week ago, when they wrote that Apple made more on the iPhone, $1.6B, than Nokia’s $1.1B. Of course, Joe, knew that Strategic Analytics was using non-GAAP figures, the real sales figures, but he wanted to get hits, and hits he got.